Residents Will Flood Front Street For Aerial Photo Of Mokena

MOKENA, IL — As many Mokena residents as possible are sought to be a part of forever history when the village recreates an historical photo next weekend.

Families and individual residents who want to be part of an aerial photo of town taken by a drone should come to the Front Street lot between 3 p.m. and 3:15 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. The photo will be taken at 3:30 p.m. sharp and then be saved for time in the village of Mokena archives.

The planned photo is a nod to Mokena history, specifically similar photos that were taken during different eras.

Civic-minded Mokenians climbed an old water tower and snapped some bird’s eye photos of the town during the 1930s. In 1980, Mokena residents again filled Front Street for another aerial perspective on the community. It happened again in 2008 when then-Mayor Joe Werner brought in an 80 ft. aerial truck for a similar shoot. (Sign up for the free Mokena Patch e-mail newsletter here).

Now, with Mokena's always growing population at more than 20,000, there's the technology and the people to make the 2018 version of the photo the biggest and best yet.

"It's an opportunity to be a part of Mokena history and a great way to start the holiday season," Trustee Debbie Engler said. Engler has spearheaded the effort to get the photo planned on the 10-year anniversary of the most recent historic Mokena photo.

Engler said the first photo in the 1930's didn't include any people, just how the area looked at the time. In 1980, there were about 30 or 40 people in the photo and a few hundred in 2008.

"We are hoping to top that this year," Engler said. "If we get 500 people out for it, that will be a good thing."

After the photo, Mokena’s annual Christmas Fest Parade of Lights will step off, followed by the lighting of the traditional Mokena Christmas tree at dusk. The "Christmas Fest" events at Mokena Elementary School will precede the photo.

Photo from 2008, courtesy of Mokena Area Historical Society - Eric Karllson, photographer